Car wheel lubricator



Dec. 15, 1953 c. w. FISHER CAR WHEEL LUBRICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 12, 1949 3nven tor M d- (Ittorneg Dec. 15, 1953 c. w. FISHER 2,662,611

CAR WHEEL LUBRICATOR Filed Sept. 12, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nventor Patented Dec. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to lubricating devices for the journals of car wheels and more particin larly to a device for lubricating the wheels of cars while they are in motion.

In handling railroad cars, and particularly freight cars, it is common practice to provide a so-called hump over which the cars slowly trav el and at which point they are freed to move by gravity on to one of a number of tracks for purposes of classification. [is these cars move slowly along the track, it is more or less coinmon practice for a man to stand upon each side of the track with an oil gun or nozzle from which oil is discharged into the car wheel journal boxes.

This requires a manon each side of the track to direct the nozzle so that the oil will be discharged into the journal boxes, and to control 1e valve of the discharge gun.

I contemplate by the present invention the pro vision of a device by means of which one man can lubricate the boxes upon both sides of the cars as they are propelled slowly along the tracks. To this end, a valve structure is mounted upon a suitable support so that it will rotate or oscillate in order that a discharge nozzle rigidly se=-- cured' thereto may be made to follow the car it passes by the device, in order to discharge the proper amount of oil into the journal box. This oscillating structure is connected by proper mechanism to a similar structure also oscillatably mounted at the other side of the track so. that movement of one of the valve structures. by theoperator will effect a similar movement of the other structure at; the opposite side of. the track.

Therefore, when the nozzle on one side-oi the V is directed at the journal box, the nozzle on the other sidev will bev directed: at. the journal. box on that side.

Similarly the: valve. which controls the discharge of the oil from the. nozzle on one side will be controlled by the. same control mechanism as that for the valve on the. other side, so that a single operator may not only properly direct both discharge mechanisms, but: also may control both. of the valves. Thus one operator may perform the work which premously required two.

One object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved device for lubricating thewheels of railway cars.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lubricating device for the journal boxes of railway cars such that an operator standing upon one side of the car can lubricate the wheels upon that side and also upon the other side.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lubricating device for railway cars comprising a mechanism upon each side of the railroad track upon which the car moves, each of the mechanisms being provided with a discharge nozzle and a controlling valve, and with interconnecting means between the two mechanisms so that an operator upon one side of the track can not only direct the nozzles but also control the valves of both of the mechanisms.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described above in which a remote control is provided for the valve mechanisms, which control will be electrically operated so that the operator, when dirooting the nozzle at the journal box of one side of the car, will not only also direct the nozzle upon the other side of the car at the journal box on that side but will also be able conveniently to control the valves of both mechanisms by oporation of an electrical switch.

To these and other ends of the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational View of a car lubricating device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3- is a sectional view through the controlling valve and' operating mechanism thereof on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line l-i of Fig. 3.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown in conventional form the axle of a car truck designated by the numeral l t upon which axle are carried the usual flanged wheels H, the wheels being supported from rails 52. Upon the ends of the axles lil are the usual journal boxes [3' provided with hinged covers it,

' these journal boxes being adapted to carry waste or the like (not shown) which is saturated with lubricating oil discharged into the journal boxes, as hereinafter described.

The lubricating devices, except for the control handleand' switch button to be described, are the same upon both sides of the railroad track so that a description of one thereof will suffice for both. As shown more especially in Figs. 1 and 3, each of the mechanisms comprises a support l6 upon which is mounted a bearing mermber l1 containing a thrust bearing is in which is carried a substantially vertical rotatable shaft l9.

Secured at the upper end of this shaft is a plate 20' upon which a housing 2 lis supported by means of the bolts 22. Upon the upper portion of the housing M is a valve casing 23 having a valve seat 24- with which cooperates a lubrica ing valve 25 mounted on the stem 25.

The valve stem 26 is slidably mounted in the partition 21 and surrounded by suitable packing material 28 and the lower end of the stem is secured to an actuating frame 2'9, this frame being secured at its lower end to a base 39 which rests upon a diaphragm 3| supported at the lower end of the casing. 21 above a chamber 32. With this construction it will be apparent that, when fluid pressure is admitted to the chamber 32, the diaphragm 3! will be actuated and the valve 25 raised from its seat.

The valve casing 23 is provided with an inlet passage 35 and an outlet chamber or passage 35, the two passages communicating through the opening in the valve seat 2d when the valve 25 is in raised position. A pipe 35 is connected to the inlet passage 3 and to the end of this pipe is connected a flexible tube 35 leading to a source of oil supply under pressure (not shown) so that when the valve 25 is raised, oil will be discharged through the passage 35.

A rigid discharge tube 3i communicates with the chamber and is provided with a discharge nozzle 3'8. through which oil is discharged into the journal boxes it, as shown in Fig. 1.

As illustrated, I employ an electri ally actuated valve to deliver air under pressure to the chamber 32 to actuate the diaphragm and, through it, the valve 25. As shown in Fig. 3, an electromagnet 40 is mounted upon a valve casing ll secured to the housing 2i. Cooperating with the magnet is a movable armature 4'52 which carries at its lower end a valve structure 23 cooperating with an inlet passage id and an exhaust passage 45 in the casing 4!. When the armature is raised by energizing the solenoid the valve mechanism d3 serves to place the inlet passage id in communication with a flexible inlet tube .6 leading to a source of air pressure (not shown). Both passages 44 and d5 communicate with a pipe fill leading into the chamber 32 below the diaphragm 3 i. Thus, when the valve mechanism 53 is raised, air under pressure is admitted to the chamber 32 to raise the valve 25 and thus permit the discharge of oil through the chamber 35 from the nozzle 38. When the solenoid is tie-energized, the armature s2 drops to its lower position, shown in Fig. 3, and permits the chamber 32. to vent to the atmosphere through the vent passage 45. The diaphragm 3! is urge downwardly by the spring til.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the structure, so far described, is duplicated upon both sides of the railroad represented by the rails l2, so that upon each side of a car upon the track there is a housing 2! with its contained mecha nism, which housing is rotatably mounted upon a base it and carried by the vertical shaft IS. Also upon each side of the car is the solenoid actuated valve mechanism which serves to actuate the diaphragm 31 together with the pipes 35 and 45 leading respectively to a source of oil supply under pressure and a source of air supply under pressure.

ihe means by which both oithese mechanisms are controlled by an operator standing adjacent one thereof will now be described.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 a hollow control handle Elli is secured to the inlet pipe 36 leading into one of the valve housings 23, that at the right as illustrated. By means of this handle, the operator may oscillate the housing 25, together with the shaft Iii, upon the bearing member El, and thus swing the discharge tube 3] through an angle in a horizontal plane, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, so that the nozzle 33 may be maintained in a position in which it will discharge into the journal box l3 as the car moves "slowly along the track.

Secured to the lower end of the shaft I9 is a beveled gear 52, the teeth of which mesh with those of a beveled gear 53 secured upon a shaft 54 rotatably mounted in bearings 55. This shaft 54 extends below the track and into the support It on the other side where it is provided with a beveled gear 55, the teeth of which mesh with those of a gear 51 secured to the shaft is of the mechanism on that side of the track. It will be seen, therefore, that with this construction when the housing 2|, together with the discharge tube 31 or the mechanism on one side, is turned through a given angle the mechanism on the other side will be turned through the same angle so that the discharge nozzle on that side will al- Ways point toward the journal box in order that the corresponding journal boxes on both sides of the car will be lubricated at the same time.

Ll order that the solenoid valves it may be operated from a point convenient to the manipulating handle 5! a switch 60 is housed in a switch box El secured to this handle. Conducting wires 62 lead from this switch to the solenoid 40 on one side of the mechanism and thence to the solenoid G8 on the other side and to a source of electric current (not shown). The flexible oil supply tubes 35 are both connected to an oil line 64 which extends below the track and which leads to a source of oil supply under pressure. Likewise, the flexible air tubes 46 are connected to a pipe 65 extending under the track which leads to a source of air pressure.

From the above description, it will be apparent that the operator on one side of the track may, by manipulating the handle to, swing the housing 2! and nozzle 38 through the desired angle necessary to keep the nozzle directed at the open journal box of a moving car which will, through the beveled gears 52 and 53 and the shaft 54, also turn the housing 2| and nozzle 38 through the same angle at the other side of the track in order that this nozzle will also be directed at the journal box on that side. Also the operator may by the switch Gil, which is conveniently located at the end of the manipulating handle to, operate the valves 25 simultaneously so as to control the delivery of oil through the nozzles 38.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and Within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a car-wheel lubricating device, a pair of spaced supports, one designed to be positioned on each side of a supporting track, a substantially vertical shaft oscillatably mounted in each of said supports, means connecting said shafts whereby oscillation of one efiects oscillation of the other, a discharge nozzle member supported from each of said shafts and directed generally toward the track, a valve mechanism associated with each of said nozzle members to control the discharge therethrough, a handle member connected With one of said nozzles to efiect the oscillation of both thereof, and means supported by said handle for controlling both said valve mechanisms.

2. In a car-wheel lubricating device, a pair of spaced supports, one adapted to be positioned on each side of a supporting track, a valve housing rotatably mounted on each of said supports on a substantially vertical axis, means connect-- ing one of said housings with the other thereof and rotating one from the other, a valve within each of said housings, each of said housings being provided with a discharge nozzle and with an inlet passage communicating with a source of oil supply, said valves controlling communication between said nozzles and passages, and means adjacent one of said housings and connected thereto actuating both of said valves.

3. In a car-wheel lubricating device, a pair of spaced supports, one adapted to be positioned on each side of a supporting track, a valve housing rotatably mounted on each of said supports on a substantially vertical axis, means connecting one of said housings with the other thereof whereby rotation of one effects similar rotation of the other, a valve within each of said housings, each of said housings being provided with a discharge nozzle and with an inlet passage communicating with a source of oil supply, electrically operated means for actuating each of said valves, and a single switch for energizing both of said electrically operated means.

4. In a car-wheel lubricating device, a pair of spaced supports, one adapted to be positioned on each side of a supporting track, a valve housing rotatably mounted on each of said supports on a substantially vertical axis, means connecting one of said housings with the other thereof whereby rotation of one effects similar rotation of the other, a valve within each of said housings, each of said housings being provided with a discharge nozzle and with an inlet passage communicating with a source of oil supply, a diaphragm for actuating each of said valves having a chamber therebelow, and electrically actuated means for introducing air under pressure into said chambers.

5. In a car-wheel lubricating device, a pair of spaced supports. one adapted to be positioned on each side of a supporting track, a valve housing rotatably mounted on each of said supports on a substantially vertical axis, means connecting one of said housings with the other thereof whereby rotation of one effects similar rotation of the other, a valve within each of said housings, each of said housings being provided with a discharge nozzle and with an inlet passage communicating with a source of oil supply, a diaphragm for actuating each of said valves having a chamber therebelow, and electrically actuated means for introducing air under pressure into said chambers, said electrically operated means comprising a valve, a solenoid to actuate said valve, and a single switch to energize each of said solenoids.

6. In a lubricating device for car wheels, a pair of spaced supports, one positioned on each side of a supporting track, a housing oscillatably mounted on each of said supports, a shaft extending from one housing to the other and connected to both thereof whereby rotation of the housing on one side effects rotation of the housing on the other side, a valve mechanism carried by each of said housings comprising a casing having inlet and outlet passages and a valve controlling communication between said passages, a nozzle rigidly secured to each valve casing to be moved angularly when said housing is rotated, said nozzles communicating with said outlet passages, means for connecting said inlet passages to a source of oil supply under pressure, and electrically operated means for actuating each of said valves.

7. In a lubricating device for car wheels, a pair of spaced supports, one positioned on each side of a supporting track, a housing oscillatably mounted on each of said supports, a shaft extending from one housing to the other and connected to both thereof whereby rotation of the housing on one side effects rotation of the housing on the other side, a valve mechanism carried by each of said housings comprising a casing having inlet and outlet passages and a valve controlling communication between said passages, a nozzle rigidly secured to each valve casing to be moved angularly when said housing is rotated, said nozzles communicating with said outlet passages, means f'or connecting said inlet passages to a source of oil supply under pressure, each of said valves having a stem projecting into the housing, a diaphragm engaging the end of each such stem for actuating the same, and means for supplying air under pressure to each of said diaphragms.

8. In a lubricating device for car wheels, a pair of spaced supports, one positioned on each side of a supporting track, a housing oscillatably mounted on each of said supports, a shaft extending from one housing to the other and connected to both thereof whereby rotation of the housing on one side effects rotation of the housing on the other side, a valve mechanism carried by each of said housings comprising a casing having inlet and outlet passages and a valve controlling communication between said passages, a nozzle rigidly secured to each valve casing to be moved angularly when said housing is rotated, said nozzles communicating with said outlet passages, means i'or connecting said inlet passages to a source of oil supply under pressure, each of said valves having a stem projecting into the housing, a diaphragm engaging the end of each such stem for actuating the same, and means for supplying air under pressure to each of said diaphragms, said means being electrically controlled.

9. In a lubricating device for car wheels, a pair of spaced supports, one positioned on each side of a supporting track, a housing oscillatably mounted on each of said supports, a shaft extending from one housing to the other and connected to both thereof whereby rotation of the housing on one side effects rotation of the housing on the other side, a valve mechanism carried by each of said housings comprising a casing having inlet and outlet passages and. a valve controlling communication between said passages, a nozzle rigidly secured to each valve casing to be moved angularly when said housing is rotated, said nozzles communicating with said outlet passages, means for connecting said inlet passages to a source of oil supply under pressure, each of said valves having a stem projecting into the housing, a diaphragm engaging the end of each such stem for actuating the same, means for supplying air under pressure to each of said diaphragms, said supplying means including a chamber below the diaphragm, means connecting said chamber with a source of air under pressure, a valve mechanism controlling said connecting means, and electrically actuated means for controlling said valve mechanism.

CLEMENCE W. FISHER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,628,512 Petersen May 10, 1927 1,931,444 Mackin Oct. 17, 1933 2,057,388 Mackin Oct. 13, 1936 2,242,692 Yingling May 20, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 847,082 France June 26. 1939 

